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A ghostly image. Experimenting with f-stops on our new Canon Rebel T1i.

The above photo was taken while trying out the new gift-to-self last night. We were without digital camera for nearly two months, and I’ve been wavering as to what to buy. So I finally went for it and invested in Canon Rebel T1i, a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) that also shoots HD-quality video.

If you’re willing to lug around a big camera with a big lens and suffer the fate of looking like a complete tourist, you can pick up a DSLR for less than $700. And if you can master your F-Stops Shutter Speeds, the photo quality is worth the price.

The Amazing B&H Photo and Video

I bought this one used from the most awesome photo store in the world: B&H Photo and Video in New York City.

The place is packed with every model camera and accessory known to man. And it features one of the most amazing shopping experiences I’ve ever been in. The store displays all of its inventory as floor samples that you can interact with. When you’re ready to buy something, you shuffle into a line (much like going to your local deli during the lunch rush) and wait for your turn to meet with a salesman.

Now here’s where I should mention that the place is owned and operated exclusively by Hassidic Jews. All the employees sport long beards and sideburns and are dressed just as you would expect from a Hassidic Jew. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just good to know when you’re trying to order something from their Web site and discover they don’t do business on Jewish Holidays.

After writting down your order, the salesman (notice I said man) picks out your merchandise from behind the counter, drops it into a plastic bin, and then sends it off on a conveyor belt to the front of the store, where you’ll meet up with it next on your way out. The saelesman gves you a sales slip, which you pay for at another part of the store. There you do business with a cashier who is sitting in a bank of narrow stall only big enough to hold a cash register and a skinny Hassidic Jew. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

If you’re a fan of photography, videography, Hassidic Jews, or awesome shopping experiences, I suggest you visit B&H Photo next time you’re in New York City.